


your safe place

by rosasdeesperanca



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik Has Feelings, Erik is a Sweetheart, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 02:50:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20074903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosasdeesperanca/pseuds/rosasdeesperanca
Summary: based on a prompt i got with a dear friend and wanted to turn into a cute lil fic





	your safe place

Charles and Erik almost always knew each other. Erik arrived in this little town in the state of California when he was seven, no one would talk to him. His English wasn’t perfect yet, but he tried. He was a bit more shy than the usual kid but he still liked to play. He was always alone during recess until this kid, this tiny kid sat next to him every day. He was lonely just like Erik, other kids made fun of him because he was small and smarter than all the kids in his class even though he was one year younger than them. It took a week before Erik talked to him and when he did, he felt like he could feel at home in that country. 

Charles became his best friend, they did everything together. They discovered their powers together, had sleepovers at Erik’s house, built a treehouse. Charles baked any cake Erik wanted to try. Erik used Charles as a model when he wanted to draw or take photographs. They were always around each other. As they grew up together, Erik got used to snuggle to Charles. Whenever he needed comfort, whenever he was angry, sad or tired. He nuzzled his face into the crook of Charles’ neck. It was platonic really, only the kids in middle school didn’t think so when Erik got anxious and had done this in front of them. It was the first time, Erik saw Charles get angry, he stood up for him and told them to leave Erik alone. Charles still wasn’t very tall but it worked and people left them. 

Many people thought they were dating. Some thought they were cute, some were mean to them. Neither Charles or Erik did care. They were close, had always been. They didn’t care what anyone else thought, they had been there for each other all along. They would be for the rest of their lives. 

Erik had great parents, his father was working in a big factory and made delicious bread. His mother was caring and better at scrabble than anyone Charles and Erik had met. They cared about Erik’s activities in school, attended events, held Erik in their arms, congratulated him often. Charles wasn’t so lucky, his father was barely there, his mother rarely acknowledged him and never held him. Their house was bigger but it always seemed so empty, so dead. Never filled with love or joy, just wealth. 

Charles’ parents never attended any school events but Charles had to attend theirs. He was like a little toy you were showing and put on a shelf right after. Charles was never angry at them, he was just tired. He never knew anything else, he was used to the cold silence and distant looks. 

When Erik first snuggled to him, it startled him a bit. He had been held, by his parents a very few times, and his nanny. But he wasn’t really used to affection and he wasn’t used to have a friend. He found he really liked when Erik held him or did this little thing he always did. When he found shelter in the crook of his neck and it instantly calmed him. He felt loved, he felt useful, he felt needed. Erik was the only person that made him feel like this. 

As they grew older and went to high school, Charles realised he loved Erik more than just a friend. He constantly wished he could see him like this too, a potential boyfriend, someone he could be in love with. Charles didn’t know if he was someone he could fall in love with. Sometimes he didn’t even know why Erik cared about him when no one else really did. Charles was seventeen and he really wondered 

This Friday, was just another day at first. But when Erik asked him if they could go out after class, Charles thought that his voice sounded different and that this day might be too. And all through the day, he couldn’t wait. 

Erik ordered two milkshakes to go. Oreo for Charles and strawberry for him. Charles couldn’t stop looking at him, he was so pretty in the neon lights of the diner but he looked so anxious. When they got their order, he led them to the little park they used to go when they were children and sat on the swings. Just rocking back and forth in silence for a while. Before Erik simply stated “We’re graduating soon.” 

“We are.” He confirmed. 

“And I’m eighteen in three days.” He breathed. 

“You are, yes.” Charles smiled. 

“What I mean is...when you’re eighteen you’re supposed to make big decisions and our lives are going to change soon...” he rocked a bit slower, almost stopping “I wanted to tell you, you’re my best friend and I value this so much, more than anything. But I...recently I realised that I feel more for you. Romantic feelings. And I just wanted you to know.” 

Charles almost chocked on his milkshake. Erik liked him? He had romantic feelings for him? Was he going to wake up? It was too good to be true. He put his drink down and looked over at Erik. He only said “Really?” Completely dumbfounded. 

Erik nodded vigorously “Yes. You don’t have to feel the same way.”

Charles opened his eyes wide “Oh, I feel very much the same way.” 

Erik smiled like Charles never had seen before. He took his hand and caressed it softly. It eased Charles into perfect peace.

“Can you sleep over at my house tonight?” His voice brought him out of his reverie. 

“My parents are away, I can come.”

“Great.” Erik’s excitement was only clear in his voice. Charles felt exactly the same way. 

They found out who could go the highest, this time it was Erik. Charles argued that he had longer legs and Erik laughed with the most carefree laugh he had heard. Charles was happier than he ever thought he could be. He didn’t know how much time passed before they found themselves on a bench instead of the swings. Erik, holding his hand and telling him about something he couldn’t quite hear with how unreal this felt. And then he kissed him and Charles was happy that he had always liked Erik way too much without realising it to be interested in anyone else and well, he hadn’t been that popular to start with. In that moment, it was wonderful because he couldn’t imagine a better first kiss. Even if it was clumsy, it was sincere, filled with a pure love he couldn’t miss. And he just knew he would remember it for the rest of his life. And that was, without a doubt, the best moment of his life so far. 

“I really regret kissing Sadie Smith in 7th grade.” Erik interrupted the kiss. 

Charles laughed “That’s okay, that gives you a little more experience than me.”

“Just a little then, it was kinda terrible.” He said as he rubbed the back of his head. 

“This one was better then?”

Erik snorted “Infinitely. Incredibly better. No competition, this one was perfect.”

He couldn’t help smiling and snuggling close to Erik “I love you so much.”

Charles couldn’t see Erik, hiding his face in his sweater but he knew he was smiling “I love you too, knuddelmaus” 

“You know I really love this endearments. I always imagine a little mouse cuddling with another mouse and it’s just so cute. German is a wonderful language.” 

“I can teach you, I really want to go there with you next time.” He said as he threaded his fingers through Charles’ hair. 

Charles looked up “That would be great, both things. I always wanted to visit your hometown.” 

“You will, I promise.” Erik said fondly “We should go home.”

Home. Charles loved when Erik used this word and included him. He never had one before and the fact that Erik and his family had welcomed him so warmly, always holding him and taking care of him. That made him feel so loved and safe. He nodded, home wasn’t only a beautiful word, it was a beautiful feeling. It was something he didn’t know existed until he had seen one, been there, felt it for himself. 

They walked side by side, hand in hand. It was a funny feeling, something he wasn’t prepared for but something he embraced wholeheartedly. When they arrived, dinner was ready. And when they ate, everyone was at the table, talking about their day, laughing, smiling sincerely. Everything felt natural, simple. And Charles was grateful because he never had that with his family but he had found a family that took him in and didn’t let go. Erik took his hand and smiled at him. He felt exactly right. 

After dinner, they were laying on Erik’s bed, listening to Birdy. Charles had never felt so peaceful when Erik did the thing he always did, he nuzzled his face into the crook of his neck. Charles never asked exactly why he did this so he took the chance “I always wondered why you do this.”

Erik only held him closer as he said “It always makes me feel calm and perfectly safe.” 

Charles smiled to himself, that was how he felt every time he was with Erik.


End file.
